Valve-spring lifter



J. F. nuff."

VALVE SPRiNG LIFTER. APPLICATION FlLpo'oEc. 1r, 1919A 1,365,468. Pamedm. M1921.

JOHNFABIEN-DUBY, OF BOSTON, lYLLSSACI-I'USETLS.`

VALVE-SPRIN G LIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921;

Application filed December 17, 1919. Serial No. 345,526.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known thatI, JOHN F. DUBY,a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolky and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve-Spring Lifters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a. simple and effective tool for liftingthe spring on the stem of a puppet valve and thus permitting the removal of the usual spring-supporting pin or key in the valve stem preparatory to the removal of the valve, the object being particularly to enable the force exerted by the operator in lifting the spring to be'sustained directly by the valve, andnot directly by a fixed support on the engine.

The invention consists in the improvements which willnow proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecilicatiom- Figure 1 is a View showing the valve chamber of an internal combustion engine and the valve spring in section, the valve and its stem in elevation, and a spring lifter embodying the invention also inelevation.

Fig. 2 is a section on line2'-2 of Fig.- 1,

and a plan view of a portion of the lifter.

Fig. 3 is a viewsimilarto Fig. 2,*showing the stem-receiving recess of the inner jaw widened.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2,- showing a modification. Y

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a smaller scale, showing a different embodiment of the invention.

l will first describe theinventionas shownl by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In the drawings, a represents an ordinary puppet-valve normally held againstitsseat b byua springy c which is seated at one end on a fixed abutmente,l and at the other end one a washer f, supported by a key or pin g,

removably inserted in an orifice in the valve stem h.

My improved spring lifter includes an outer jaw adapted to be seated on the closed valve when the latter is exposed by the removal of a plug from an opening i in the valve chamber, so that the outer jaw is supported by the valve, and an inner jaw adapted to lift the spring from the key g when the outer jaw is seated on the valve. Said outer j aw, in the preferred .embodiment of the invention here shown, includes a body portion l2, an arm 13, projectingk in one direction from the body portion, and a grip member 14, projecting in an opposite direction from the body portion. The outerj aw also preferably includes an adjustable terminal 15, formed to pass through the open` ing e', and bear on the valve a. Said tierminal may be a screw-threaded bolt, having a pointed inner end 16 adapted to have a non-slipping engagement with the outer side ofthe valve, and a head 17 whereby it may be turned, thevbolt engaging a tapped orifice in the arm 14. The terminal 15 is, therefore, adapted to be adjusted to vary the space between the two jaws, and adapty the tool for use with different engines. The inner jaw is an arm forming one of the members of a bell-cranklever, and is providedwith terminal fingers 19 forming a slot-or recess 18 adapted to receive they valve stem h and its key g, as shown by Figs. 2 and 4. Said fingers are preferably adjustable to vary the width of said recess.v

Figs. 1, 2,`and,3` show the inner jawk as including fingers 19, movable toward vand from each other. Each linger.19has an ear 20, provided with Jan oblique slot 21, one ear overlapping the other, andthe slots 21 being in different angularpositions. The inner jaw also includes an inner portion 22, which is pivoted at 23 to the arm 13. The fingers 19 are provided `with flexible shank portions 24, which are 'secured 'byrivets 25 to the arm portion 22. A bolt 26-having a head at one end, and a nut 27 atthe other end, asses through intersecting portions of the slots 21.

Vhen said bolt is adjusted, as shown by Fig. 2, the recess 18 has a minimum width, and 4when the bolt is adjusted, `as shown by F ig. 3, the width of the` recess is increased. Provision is thus made for accommodating the inner jaw to the size of the valve stem.

The inner jaw is provided with an elongated lever arm 30, forming another member of a bell-crank lever, and extending beside the arm 13. The outer end of the lever member 14, the tivo melnoers being arranged to be grasped by one hand, so that when the hand is contracted, the lever 30 and the inner jaw are moved to liiit the spring.

T he outer jaw body 12 and the lever arm 30 are provided with complemental members adapted to secure the leverarm and inner jaw in a fixed position relatively to the outer jaw when the spring is lifted. Said members are preferably embodied in a series of ratchet teeth on the outer jaw body 12, and a pawl 3a pivoted at 35 to the lever arm 30, and adapted to automatically engage one or' the ratchet teeth when the inner jaw is in position to raise the spring.

1 am not limited to the described adjustability et the recess 18 of the inner jaw, and may maire said jaw as a single part which is integral with the leveil arm 30, as indicated by Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the inven tion in which a portion of the arm 13a of the outer jaw 12a constitutes grip member, and a portion of the lever arm 30a of the inner j aw constitutes the other grip member, the pawl being arranged to engage ratchet teeth on an extension 13b ot the arm 139. rlflie pointed valve-engaging end 16 is in this case integral with the outer jaw.

Each of the described embodiments comprises a bodyv portion which includes the outer jaw and an arm, as 13 or 13, rigidly connected with the outer jaw and arranged at an angle therewith, said arm projecting downwardly from the outer liaw, and a bellcrank lever fulcrumed at 23 on the lower end of said arm, one bell-crank lever arm constituting a spring-lifting inner jaw, while the other arm 30, or 30, is a jawoperating arm. The bell-crank lever is movable on its ulcrum with inconsiderable frictional resistance, and the number of essential parts is reduced to a minimum.

1t will be seen that in each embodiment the arrangement is such that the operator is enabled, by the use of one hand, to swing the bell-crank lever in the direction required to lift the spring, and to hold the spring lii'ted, or compressed, until thepawl engages one of the ratchet teeth.

l claim:

1. A valve spring litter, comprising a body portion, which includes an outer jaw, having a terminal formed to be seated on a puppet valve, and an arm rigidly connected with said outer jaw, and arranged at an angle therewith, said arm projecting downwardly from the outer jaw, and a bell-crank lever fulcrumed on the lower end of said arm, one bell-crank lever arm constituting a spring-lifting inner jaw, and the other bellcrank lever arm being a jaw-operating arm, said body portion and bell-crank lever including hand grip members, operable by one hand of the operator to lift the spring of said valve, and hold said spring lifted.

2. A valve spring lifter substantially as specified by claim l, said body portion and bell-crank lever being provided with complemental interengaging members to maintain the bell-crank lever in its spring-lifting position.

3. A valve spring lifter substantially as speeiiied by claim 1, the body portion being provided with ratchet teeth, and the bellcrank lever being provided with a pawl adapted to engage either of said teeth, and thereby maintain the lever in its springlifting position.

4:. A valve spring lifter substantially as specified by claim 1, the lever arm forming the inner jaw including two relatively lmovable ngers forming a stem-receiving recess, and provided with overlapping ears having oblique slots, and a bolt passing through said slots, and having clamping means, the said slots being in different angu4 lar positions, and the bolt being adjustable to vary the width ofsaid recess.

45. A valve spring lifter comprising an outer jaw formed to be seated on a puppet valve, and provided with an arm and with a hand grip member projecting in opposite directions from the jaw, and an inner jaw formed to lift the spring on the stem ot said valve, and pivoted to said arm, said inner jaw being provided with a lever haie ing a hand grip member operativelyv4 related to the grip member on the outer j aw.

6. A valve spring lifter substantially as specified by claim 5, the outer jaw being provided with ratchet teeth, and said lever arm with a pawl adapted to engage either of said teeth, and thereby maintain the inner aw in its spring-lifting position.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JOHN FABIEN DUBY. 

